United States · City Guide

Sedona With Kids

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Sedona is the kind of place that makes your kids put their phones down.

The red rock formations are massive. Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte. They are right there, in every direction, and the color shifts with the light from orange to deep red to almost purple at sunset. You cannot get used to it. Even after several days, you keep stopping and staring.

It is a small town. About 10,000 people. The main road through Uptown Sedona has shops, galleries, and restaurants. But the hiking is why families come here. The trails are well marked, range from flat creekside walks to scrambles up red rock faces, and most of them start within a few minutes of town.

Slide Rock State Park has a natural water slide carved into the creek bed. Pink Jeep Tours takes families off road into the backcountry. The Sedona Heritage Museum tells the story of how this town went from homesteads to one of the most visited places in Arizona. There is more here than people expect, and the pace is exactly right for families.

Getting Around

Sedona does not have its own airport. Most families fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), which is about two hours south on I-17. The drive is easy and the scenery north of Camp Verde is stunning. You can also fly into Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), which is 45 minutes north, but flight options are limited.

You need a car in Sedona. There is no public transit system that covers what families need. The town is small, so driving times are short, but trailheads, restaurants, and hotels are spread between Uptown Sedona, West Sedona, and the Village of Oak Creek.

Parking at popular trailheads fills up early, especially on weekends and during spring and fall. A Red Rock Pass is required for parking at most trailheads and costs $5 per day or $15 for a week. You can buy one at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, local shops, or the self service kiosks at trailheads.

Where to Stay

Uptown Sedona is walkable and puts you near shops and restaurants. West Sedona has more grocery stores and a residential feel. The Village of Oak Creek is about 15 minutes south and closer to Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. All three areas work for families.

What to See

Red Rock Hikes

The hiking in Sedona is what makes it worth the trip. There are over 100 trails in the area, and a lot of them work for families.

Bell Rock Pathway is flat, paved at the start, and gives you views of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte from every angle. It is perfect for strollers and younger kids. Cathedral Rock Trail is the classic Sedona hike, about 1.5 miles round trip with some rock scrambling at the top. Older kids love it. The view from the saddle is one of the most photographed spots in Arizona.

Fay Canyon is an easy, shaded trail that ends at a natural arch. About 2.4 miles round trip. The Devil’s Bridge Trail is the other iconic one. A 4 mile round trip to a natural sandstone arch with a narrow bridge you can walk across. It photographs like something from another planet.

Slide Rock State Park

Slide Rock is a natural water slide in Oak Creek, about seven miles north of Uptown Sedona. The creek has carved smooth chutes into the red sandstone, and kids (and adults) spend hours sliding down them into swimming holes.

It gets crowded in summer. The park charges $20 to $30 per vehicle depending on the season, and parking fills up by mid morning on weekends. Go on a weekday if you can, or arrive before 9am. The water is cold even in summer, but the kids will not care.

The park sits on the site of an old apple orchard, and the apple trees are still there. In fall, they sell fresh apple cider and apple butter at the park shop.

Pink Jeep Tours & Uptown Sedona

Pink Jeep Tours is the iconic Sedona experience. They run open air jeep tours into the backcountry on trails you cannot drive yourself. The Broken Arrow tour is the most popular, bumping over slickrock with views of the valley below. Kids are strapped in and bouncing around and they absolutely love it. Tours start around $90 per person.

Uptown Sedona is the main tourist strip. Galleries, crystal shops, ice cream, fudge, and Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, which is a Spanish colonial style shopping area with courtyards and fountains. It is a nice place to wander for an afternoon, especially after a morning hike.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is built into the red rocks south of town. It is a short stop, free to visit, and the views from the parking area are outstanding.

What to Eat

Sedona is a small town, but the food scene punches above its weight. The Southwestern flavors are strong here, and there are a handful of restaurants that families come back to trip after trip.

Nicole’s Perspective

You pull into Sedona and your whole family goes quiet for a second. The red rocks do that. They are bigger and more dramatic than photos prepare you for.

I recommend Sedona to families who want outdoor time that does not require extreme fitness. The trails here are varied enough that you can hike with a three year old in the morning and challenge a teenager in the afternoon. Bell Rock Pathway for the little ones. Cathedral Rock or Devil’s Bridge for the older kids. Everyone gets something that feels like an adventure.

Slide Rock is a must if your timing works. My clients with summer trips always put it at the top of the list. And Pink Jeep Tours is worth the money. The kids talk about that jeep ride for months.

I pair Sedona with Phoenix and Scottsdale for most families. Two or three nights in Scottsdale at a resort, then two nights in Sedona for the hiking and the scenery. The drive between them is about two hours and the change in landscape from desert floor to red rock canyon is something kids notice right away.

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